Rail-brace.



J. H. BATTEN.

RAIL BRACE. 7 APPLICATION FILED MAY 10, 1915.

1,147,671 Patented July 20, 1915- QLLS ATTOR/VE rs .a'rnsrr Jenn H.BATTEN, or WICHITA, KANSAS.

BA1L-BRACE.

iaam zi.

particularly to new and useful improvements in rail braces.

.An object of the. invention is the provision of an improved brace whichwill effectively prevent spreading or creeping of the rails of a trackthus minimizing the dan V j pivoted thereto at 21 a connecting arm 22the ger of derailment of a car or train.

Another object of the invention is to pro-2 vide a rail brace foraccomplishing the above result which comprises a pair of clampingmembers, one of whlch is movable laterally and longitudinally relativeto the other whereby the brace may be detached from the rail.

A still further ob ect is to provlde a brace of the abovecharacter whichwill possess advantages'in points of simplicity of construction,durability, eflic ency, and one which is inexpensive to manufacture.

The inventive ideainvolved is capable of receiving a var ety ofmechanical expressions, one of which; for. the purpose of illustratingthe invention, is shown in the actend transversely of the rails6 and areprovided on the ends adjacent said rails with the rail engaging portions9. When the elements are in looking position the adjacent edges thereofabut and lugs 10 formed on said edges engage corresponding notches 11 inthe edge of the opposite element whereby the same are effectivelyprevented from longitudinal movement relative to each other. Theclamping element 7 is provided with short longitudinally extending slots12 Specification of Letters Patent.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 illus trate successive positions in the operation ofadapted to receivepins13 carried by the links 14 which are pivoted toclamping element. 8 at 15 thus connecting the two elements together.

I The clamping element. 8 has pivoted at 16 intermediate the endsthereof a bell crank lever l-7which in turn has pivoted thereto at18 oneend of a'connecting arm 19 the other end of which has pivoted thereto aguide collar 20 which slides on the element 8 and is adapted to receivethe adjacent'inner end of the element 7 when the parts are in lookingposition as shown in Fig.1. One

extremity of thebell crank lever also has lever 17 whereby the parts areretained in locked position. The element 7 is also provided intermediateits ends with an? arcuate slot 26wh1ch is enlarged atone end asindicated at 27, said slot being adapted to re-' ceive a pin 28 carriedby the lever 17 for a purpose which Will appear in the course of thisdescription.

When it. is desired to remove the brace, the bolt 25 is first detachedwhich permits of the lever 17 being swung to the position shown in Fig.2whenthe guide collars 20 and 28, through the medium of the connectingarms 19 and 22, will be slid out wardly from engagement with theadjacent inner ends of the opposite elements. When the parts are in thisposition the element 8 will be free to move laterally relative to theelement 7 which movement will be caused by the pin 28 moving to theposition shown in Fig. 3 when the pressure of said pin against the wallof the slot will cause the .two clamping elements to separate, as

Patented July 20, 1915.

Application filed May 1Q, 1915. Serial No. 27,028.

tween said clamping elements. Until the pin 28 reaches the positionshown in Fig. 3 the fulcrum of the lever 17 will be about the pivotpoint 18 but as soon as said pin reaches the position mentioned thepressure thereof against the end of the slot will cause the lever 17 toswing about said pin as a pivot and cause the element 8 tomove in alongitudinal direction relative to the element 7 so that the clampingportion of the said element 8 will be disengaged from the adjacent railas shown in Fig. 5. This longitudinal movement will cause the pins 13 ofthe links 14 to move to the other ends of the slots 12. The parts beingin position, as shown in Fig. 5, the brace may then be detached from therails.

I claim 1. A rail brace comprising a pair of clamping elements havingcooperating lugs and notches adapted for engagement with each other whenthe elements are in looking position, a bell cank lever pivoted to oneof said clamping elements, connecting arms pivoted to said bell cranklever, guide 001- lars connected to said arms, each of said collarsbeing slidable on one of said elements and adapted to embrace the innerend of the other element, links connecting said clamping elements, and apin carried by said bell crank lever and engaging an arcuate slot formedin one of said elements whereby the opposite element is moved laterallyand longitudinally relative thereto when the bell crank lever is swungabout its pivot.

2. A rail brace comprising a pair of clamping elements havingcooperating lugs and notches adapted for engagement with each other whenthe elements are in locking position, a bell crank lever pivoted to oneof said clamping elements, connecting arms pivoted to said bell cranklever, guide col-j lars connected to said arms, each of said collarsbeing slidable on one of said elements and adapted to embrace the lnnerend of the other element, links connecting said clamp ing elements, apin carried by said bell crank lever and engaging an arcuate slot formedin one of said elements whereby the opposite element is moved laterallyand longitudinally relative thereto when the bell crank lever is swungabout its pivot, and means for securing said bell crank lever to one ofsaid clamping elements whereby the parts are locked in position.

3. A rail brace comprising clamping elements, and means for initiallymoving one of said elements laterally relative to the other and thenmoving the same longitudinally thereof.

4. A rail brace comprising clamping elements, and lever connections forinitially moving one of said elements laterally relative to the otherand then moving the same longitudinally thereof.

5. A rail brace comprising clamping elements having lugs and notchesadapted for interlocking relation when the elements engage the rails ofthe track, and means for moving one of said elements laterally andlongitudinally relative to the other for interlocking the same.

6. A rail brace comprising clamping elements having lugs and notchesadapted for interlocking relation when the elements engage the rails ofthe track, and lever connections for initially moving one of saidelements laterally relatively to the other and then moving the samelongitudinally thereof.

7. A rail brace comprising a stationary and a movable clamping element,and means for moving said movable element laterally and longitudinallyrelative to the stationary member.

8. A rail brace comprising a stationary and a movable clamping element,means for -moving said movable element laterally and :longitudinallyrelative to the stationary member, and means released by the first-.named means for retaining the elements in clamping position.

JOHN H. BATTEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, WashingtonQD. C.

